The Known World
by jekkah
Summary: End scene for 7X12's "Unknown Subject" - Hotch returns home after talking to Prentiss. Season Seven AU Series continuation


_Disclaimer: I own nothing with Criminal Minds except for my dvds. _

_Author's Note: Just a quick little extra scene for 7X12's "Unknown Subject." This follows my other Season 7 AU stories. _

**The Known World**

Hotch sighed as he walked up the front steps to his front door. It had been a long night talking with Prentiss in his office, listening to her describe her feelings over the past year. He was glad that she came to him and was even able to share some of his own feelings, but it made for an exhausting evening. Hotch had given everyone tomorrow off and for the first time in a long time, he was planning on doing nothing with his time off.

Still, he wished he had someone to come home to tonight. Jack was at Jessica's for the night and Hotch wouldn't be picking him up until after school tomorrow. He knew JJ would come over if he called her, but it was late and he didn't want to pull her away from anymore time with Henry. Besides, they had pizza and a movie night planned with the two boys tomorrow night. Maybe he would call her in the morning for lunch.

He opened the door to the sound of soft music coming from the living room. The smell of Chinese food hit his nose as he stepped inside. Candlelight glowed in the doorway. Hotch dropped his briefcase by the door and toed off his shoes. He put his jacket on the banister before walking into the living room. He found JJ sitting on the couch in one of his white dress shirts and a pair of socks. It was his favorite look on her.

"What are you doing here?" Hotch asked, softly, his eyes roaming over her bare legs. His fingers itched to touch them. "I thought you wanted to spend time with Henry?"

"I did. I do." She grabbed her glass of wine from the table and took a sip. "I waited until he was asleep before coming over here. And Will has plans with him tomorrow until late afternoon. He wasn't expecting me to be off. He offered to change them, but Henry was just so excited."

Hotch sat down next to her. He leaned over and pressed his lips to hers, taking in all the comfort she had to offer. "I'm glad you're here."

"Rough night?" She asked, massaging his neck with her free hand. Hotch placed a hand on her high and squeezed.

"I'm okay," he assured her. He gave her a sincere smile to show his truthfulness.

"And Emily?"

Hotch sighed. "She'll be okay. She just needs time to adjust. It's just rough to... rehash everything."

JJ paused in working the knots in his neck. "I can't even imagine."

"And you never will," Hotch told her definitively, reaffirming his pledge to do whatever he could to keep this woman who had stolen his heart safe from harm.

She smiled at him, warmth washing over her. "Are you hungry?"

Hotch nodded. "I could eat."

It wasn't long before they had both eaten a plate of food and gone through a glass and a half of wine. Hotch was laying with his back against the armrest of the couch. His tie was discarded on the floor and the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up. JJ lay in his arms, her head against his chest, purring softly as he caressed her skin.

"I don't think about it most days, you know," Hotch told her quietly. "I don't think about the power he had over me, the power he still has over me."

"He doesn't have power over you," JJ protested.

Hotch kissed her temple, putting his arms tight around her. "When I'm at a store and Jack turns the corner a half second before I do and I can't see him, I panic. The day we lost Henry at the park, I offered to get the car after we found him because I was shaking so bad that I thought I was going to throw up. I have nightmares where I can't save you. I wake up in sweat and sometimes tears."

JJ sat up just enough to turn and face him. She placed her hands on either side of his face, giving him a gentle kiss. "I love you; every part of you, but I especially love how protective you are of us. If he had power of you, you wouldn't have opened your heart to Henry and me. You would have given Jack to Jessica to raise and locked yourself away. The only person that has power of you is you."

"And you," Hotch said, playfully. He knew he would spend hours dwelling on her words, but for now, his brain had had enough. "Especially in my shirt."

"I know," she whispered, also willing to let the issue drop. "That's what I wear it. But," she began to unbutton his shirt, "do you know what my favorite article of clothing is on you?"

He stuttered as she placed a kiss to his neck. "Wha-what?"

"Nothing." She looked up at him threw her lashes, fire in her eyes.

Hotch stood swiftly. He gathered her in his arms as she squealed. He took her upstairs to his room where he spent the rest of the night and half of the following day wearing her favorite outfit on him, lost in a world of just the two of them.


End file.
